Cons:

If you're already good at FIFA or Winning Eleven, it can help you play Super Mario Strikers but it won't save you. It doesn't matter if you know who the most popular striker on Arsenal is; some eight-year-old kid with the right sense of chaos will rattle your vision of a one-two pass into a header for the win. And that's the beauty of the game: even if you hate soccer (which entirely too many Americans seem to for my tastes), you will love Super Mario Strikers. It is among the best Mario sports titles on the GameCube and should immediately become a hit in living rooms and dorms across America for its multiplayer matches.
With no Zelda to fulfill the insatiable appetites of Nintendo fanboys worldwide, something had to come along and satiate them for the time being. Comparing this to Twilight Princess is like comparing apples to steak tartare, but suffice it to say, Strikers is among the best games to grace a slow year for Nintendo's console. Just make sure you've got friends to play with you.
With Strikers, as with other Mario sports titles, simplicity is key. All of everyone's favorite Mushroom Kingdom characters, except Bowser (who always gets hated on), are team captains on four player squads. And they all look really angry. There are a variety of cups to play toward, starting with the Mushroom Cup and building up to the Bowser Cup before unlocking the Super Cups, stadiums, and spoils. Team captains include Mario, Luigi, Princesses Peach and Daisy, Donkey Kong, Wario, and Waluigi. Players can choose from Toad, Hammer Bros., Birdo, or Koopas as their teammates. As with any competitive Mario game, different combinations of captains and secondaries can produce wildly different chemistry and results, as each captain has his or her own individualized play styles.

The controls are easy to pick up and learn. On offense, A passes, B shoots, Y or the C-stick are for the deke (or juke, depending on who you ask). On defense, A switches players, B steals, Y is for the Big Hit (a.k.a. your Best Friend). L acts as a modifier on offense, R is turbo, X allows players to utilize an item, Mario Kart style. The toughest feature to pull off is the Super Strike, which pulls up a meter. Those with fast reflexes or the luck of good timing will net a double score for nailing a Super Strike Goal. Most people, however, will have to practice a lot and look forward to lots of cutscenes leading into a blocked shot. To add to the Roshambo Factor, opponents in multiplayer can rattle the C-Stick to make the meter shake. It's tough to pull off, which makes it even more triumphant when a player scores a double with a Super Strike.
So, with the simple elements out of the way, what makes Super Mario Strikers such a must-own title? It mainly lies within the multiplayer. Be it a one-on-one or four players huddled around a 'Cube, the aggressive nature of the game lends itself beautifully to the competitive nature of multiplayer gaming. At times I questioned whether the game was originally called "Super Mario-Hey! Screw You, Pal!" and they had to change the title for length. When going two-on-two, teamwork is key. If one person is continuously hogging the ball and going directly for the goal (read: your teammate has never played a soccer or hockey game in his/her life), your team won't get results unless they just happen to be that good at the game. Most people will have to set up plays and work very closely and cooperatively to nail their shots. Playing in a versus game, be it with a teammate or without, is a veritable free-for-all. Big Hits beget more Big Hits, and the pacing is exceptionally more intense than single player -- it won't be hard to distinguish between playing your friends and playing the computer, although admittedly, the A.I. is exceptionally aggressive in SMS.